Accuracy, standardization, and interlaboratory calibration standards for foraminiferal Mg/Ca thermometry

The use of liquid and solid standards for foraminiferal Mg/Ca and Sr/Ca determinations and interlaboratory calibration has been investigated. Preparation of single element standard solutions from primary solid standard material enables the preparation of mixed standard solutions with Mg/Ca and Sr/Ca ratios of known accuracy to better than 0.1%. We also investigated commercial reference materials to determine whether existing carbonate standards could be used as reference material for Mg/Ca determinations in foraminiferal calcite. We propose that, in the absence of a pure calcium carbonate standard certified for Mg/Ca, ECRM 752-1, a limestone CRM containing Mg/Ca within the range of typical foraminifera, is a suitable solid standard for interlaboratory calibration. Replicate Mg/Ca determinations showed that, provided silicate phases are removed by centrifugation, this material is homogenous within the precision of daily instrumental Mg/Ca determinations over a range of sample weights from 10 to 1000 mg, taken from two separate bottles of ECRM 752-1. Results gave an average value of Mg/Ca = 3.75 mmol/mol (0.015 s. d., 0.41% r. s. d.) on 118 determinations from the two bottles.